SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The U.S. Green Building Council recognized 15 LEED-certified projects in celebration of its 15 years as an organization earlier this year. The projects were chosen based on versatility, value and staying power.

SEATTLE — A commercial office building in downtown Seattle is the first building in the country to receive a LEED Dynamic Plaque re-certification.

The 336,000-square-foot building — Dexter Horton — is owned by Gerding Edlen, a property manager and developer based in Portland, Ore. Gerding Edlen partnered with the USGBC on the re-certification, which measures the real time performance of existing LEED-certified buildings for energy, water and waste conservation as well as the building’s tenant experience and use of alternative transportations.

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced on July 22 its international rankings of the Top 10 Countries for LEED.

The Top 10 list highlights countries outside of the U.S. that are making significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation. The announcement comes at a time of increased international focus on climate change mitigation in the lead up to the United Nations’ COP21 climate negotiations this December.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced June 29 that Rick Fedrizzi, the founder of USGBC and CEO since 2003, will not seek renewal of his contract as USGBC’s CEO at the end of 2016, paving the way for an organizational leadership transition in 2017.

MILWAUKEE — Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee earned LEED Gold certification, making it the first hotel in Wisconsin to attain the green building achievement, according to an announcement made May 6.

WASHINGTON — Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) officially launched the Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER) rating system designed to verify sustainable electricity system performance on April 29.

SAN DIEGO — LPL Financial LLC announced on April 20 that the firm’s San Diego office building has earned LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its interior design and construction.